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It’s always interesting to watch tech politics. It’s more than just Apple versus Google. The hardware manufacturers behind the latest technological advances also choose sides. Nokia is only making Windows phones, while Samsung’s latest offerings are all Android. Chip manufacturer AMD, which you may be more familiar with from your desktop computer, has taken sides in all of this, too. Until, just recently, the company was only making chips for Windows phones, but the company has recently announced that it will no longer exclusively work with Microsoft. What does this mean for the consumer? Your next Android phone might not run on Intel, and that’s not a bad thing!

Before now, the company has not only focuses on Windows 8 devices, but it had also said there was zero interest in working with Android. Now, AMD can expand its current x86 and ARM architecture. The company will also look into developing custom chips for devices when manufacturers request them. Rumors see manufacturers selling these new devices in the second half of 2013.

Good Bye to Windows?

This doesn’t mean that AMD is leaving Windows entirely, however. According to senior vice president and general manager of global business Lisa Su, AMD will remain “very committed” to Windows 8 because it’s a “great operating system.” However, the company also sees a market for Android devices, which might just be AMD’s way of saying that the grass — and money — is greener on the other side of the fence. Su stated that Android and Chrome devices like tablets and clamshell devices tend to be are entry level, which isn’t the case for Windows 8 devices. At the very least, the Surface tablet has had a lukewarm reception, while companies such as Samsung have seen more buzz.

Good for Consumers

Of course, more competition means that chip companies like AMD and Intel are going to compete to win the favor of manufacturers, and competitive prices could trickle down to the consumer. No one could argue that they would like to pay less for a smartphone or tablet. While prices have dropped for low-end devices, high-end smartphones like the Galaxy S 4 has a hefty price tag that could pay next month’s rent. This is especially true if you’re purchasing an unlocked or off-contract device from a company such as Virgin Mobile.

Still, you’ll have to wait a little bit because there’s no official word as to when you can expect a shiny new tablet boasting an AMD chip. While you’re waiting for the brand-new hardware, keep your eye out for existing AMD-based tech as third parties have been porting other operating systems to existing AMD devices. The BlueStacks emulator, for example, allows you to run Android apps on your Windows device. The difference in chip architecture has made this process difficult.

The benefits will be great, however. Android’s app market is much larger, including apps that are not available on Windows. Users also love Android because of the openness of the OS ,and the ability to switch launchers provides a more diverse experience than Windows has been able to bring to the table. Add in widgets, the multitude of third-party apps that perform basic functions and the fact that many people already use Google services, and it sounds like AMD is on the right track.

Mike Linney the Marketing Sales Manager at WebDevo Web Design has a great passion for writting Technology Articles and he is looking forward to testing out the new AMD chips.